Effects of Cocaine Use: Coke Makes the Brain Eat Itself

Studies have found a frightening effect of cocaine use: autophagy, or the self-eating of brain cells.

The study by Johns Hopkins University in the US found this process to be evident in the brains cells of mice who had been administered cocaine.  Autophagy is the process by which cells in the body ‘eat’ themselves to rid the cells of waste they naturally produce.  Cocaine accelerates this process, causing brain cells to rid themselves of vital materials like mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell.

Cocaine gets you high because of the way it affects the functions taking place deep in your brain.  If plummeting dopamine levels, mood swings and insomnia are not reason enough to quit, perhaps this brain cell-destroying phenomenon is.

It’s no secret that Australia is a global leader in drug addiction, with coke being a major contributing factor.  According to the National Drug Strategy Household Survey, 7.3% of Australians over the age of 14 have used cocaine at some point in their lives.  With cocaine use at four times that of Melbourne, Sydney is considered the coke capital of Australia.

Even using blow recreationally can quickly escalate into an unmanageable and life-threatening addiction. If you are struggling with cocaine abuse, the time to seek help is now.

Read the full article here: Cocaine Causes the Brain to Eat Itself — another Cocaine Addiction Risk.